Marc Marquez declared the German Grand Prix is a battle for a podium, insisting a third place is the best he can safely target after a win‑only sprint.
Fast but vulnerable on the Sachsenring
Marquez topped the Saturday sprint and Friday’s fastest lap, yet he said the changes made before the race left him feeling “uncomfortable” on the bike.
He added the track’s anti‑clockwise layout less strains his damaged right shoulder, so he views the event as one of the easier legs of the season.
“My shoulder works well, and the elbow is only slightly painful,” he explained, cautioning that the upcoming 30‑lap race will test his endurance and consistency.
Strategy over speed, he admits
During the half‑distance sprint, Marquez admitted the win came from a strategy that outsmarted peers like his brother Alex Marquez and Fabio di Giannantonio.
He emphasised that although the tactics allowed him to lead, remaining at the front over a full race distance will prove harder.
“It was a plan I held onto; if the same approach persists, it will be tougher,” he said, hinting that a 30‑lap drive will demand a new setup.
Brotherly hopes stalled by injury
Marquez noted that Alex could have won the sprint had he not recovered from a collision at the Catalan GP. “His injuries kept him out for three races, and that cost him momentum,” he said.
He praised Alex’s current form and likened it to their performance at Assen, where the younger rider exhibited near‑record pace.
Marquez’s candid assessment points to a sharp focus on performance adjustments for tomorrow’s 25‑lap contest, even as he declines to chase a repeat of the sprint triumph. The Ducati star remains ready to challenge the field, though the full‑distance challenge demands a refined balance between speed and comfort.
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